The National Bureau of Investigation NBI and police Helsinki and Turku say they’ve seized firearms and drugs in an ongoing operation against the United Brotherhood motorbike gang.
Officials say the crime probe has so far netted 30 firearms, 3kg of amphetamines, 5500 opioid tablets and other drugs during raids on United Brotherhood premises.
Law enforcement agencies are also investigating extortion cases where they say the United Brotherhood is involved.
“Our investigation shows that the United Brotherhood’s activities have been purely criminal, and its members do not work with legitimate types of business” says Commissioner Kimmo Sainio of the NBI.
In total of 24 people are suspects in the case, with 12 members of the biker gang currently in custody facing indictment. The investigation that started in February after police began looking into reports of drug smuggling and dealing by the United Brotherhood in Salo and Turku.
The investigation quickly expanded to look at firearms offenses, extortion, narcotics and other criminal activity. Officials say United Brotherhood members in Helsinki were running the criminal activities in the south west.
Helsinki Police and the NBI have already passed their reports to the prosecutor’s office.
